Display cabinet



March l5, 1960 M. l. RAPPAPORT DISPLAY CABINET Filed April 30, 1958DISPLAY CABINET Maurice I. Rappaport, Cleveland Heights, h10

Application April 30, 1958, Serial No. 731,900

1 Claim. (Cl. 312123) This invention relates to display apparatus andmore particularly to a display cabinet assembly which will effecteconomies in the use of lloor space and which will effectively exhibitarticles carried by the display cabinet.

it is among the objects of my invention to provide a display` cabinet inthe form of vertically-disposed panel structures pivotally connected toeach other so that one panel may be arranged at an angle with respect tothe next adjacent panel and thus render the entire assembly stable andself-supporting.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a display cabinet inaccordance with the preceding object wherein the vertically-disposedpanels include unitary box-like enclosures having opaque and transparentareas to facilitate the display of articles within the enclosure so thatthe articles may be viewed from both sides of the vertical panel.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a display device inaccordance with the preceding object wherein each of the vertical panelsincludes a pair of spaced vertically-disposed channels to adjustably andpiv otally support a transparent walled cabinet structure between thechannels.

Further objects and advantages relating to compact folding for shipment,efficiency in use and economies of manu-facture will appear from thefollowing description and the appended drawings wherein- Fig. l is aperspective view of a display device made according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an enclosure forming a part of my displaydevice;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the details of the enclosure of Fig.2 and the mounting of the enclosure on vertical supporting channels;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modification of the enclosure whereinone side section of the enclosure is hinged and provided with a lock;and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View with parts broken away illustrating theclamping interlock between the vertical channel supports and theenclosure.

Referring to the drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates a display assemblycomprising three vertically-disposed panels 5, 6 and 7. Each panelpreferably includes a pair of vertically-disposed channel members 8 and9 which are connected to each other by cross members such as 10. Thechannels 8 and 9 are constructed as shown in cross section in Fig. 3soas to provide an open re-entrant groove on the sides of the channels 8and 9 which face each other. As will appear later in this description,the open grooves on the sides of the vertical channels 8 and 9co-operate with supporting clamps which mount the enclosures indicatedin their entirety as at 11, 12, 13 and 14. In the vertical panelassembly 7 the enclosures 11 and 12 are supported as indicated at 11a,11b, 12a and 12b. The cabinet sections 11 and 12 will be referred toherein as vertical enclosures inasmuch as they are constructed so as toprovide horizontal shelves indicated at 11e and 12e. The enclosures 13and 14 forming a Patented Mar. l5, 1960 part of the vertical panel thevertical channel members as at 13a and 14a. In addition to theinterconnection between the enclosures 13, 14 and the vertical channels,each of the enclosures 13 and 14 is preferably held in adjusted positionby braces such as 17 and 18.

The enclosure 11 will be described here in considerable detail and itwill be understood as the descriptiony proceeds that the enclosures 12,13 and 14 are constructedV in substantially the same manner.

In all forms of my invention I have provided an enclosure which includesa pair of complementary, deepdrawn plastic sections 20 and 21 made ofmethyl-methacrylate often referred to as Plexiglas The advantages ofthis material with respect to its strength and clarity are well-knownand have been utilized in the aircraft and thus serves as the window forthe examination of -articles arranged within the enclosure.

The peripheral llange of each of the sections 20 and 21 is embraced by ametal channel member 22 which forms a frame around the peripheral edgeof the section. A relatively large metal channel indicated in itsentirety as at 23 provides spaced flanges 24 and 2.5 for mounting thechannel frames 22. Bolts or similar fasteners 26 extend through thechannel 22, the llange of the section 20 and thence through the flange24 of the channel Z3. A similar fastener 27 is employed to secure thecomplementary section 21 to the main channel 23. The web of the channel23 is suitably apertured at spaced intervals to receive the shank of aclamping member indicated in its entirety as at 30. The clampingassembly includes a bolt having a T-shaped head 31 and a nut 32 threadedon the shank of the bolt. A spring 33 biasing the head 31 toward theportions 8a is arranged between the head 31 and the bottom of thechannel 8 as best shown in Fig. 3.

The inturned lips 8a of the channel 8 (also channel 9) are serrated asbest shown in Fig. 5 to receive the underside of the head 31 of theclamping assembly. It will be noted that if the nut 32 is loosened andthe clamping bolt pressed inwardly of the channel against the spring 33it will be freed of the serrations on the lips 8a and thus the clampingassembly may be slid vertically in the supporting channel 8. When theenclosure such as 11 or 12 has been arranged vertically in the panel 7to its desired position the nut 32 may be drawn up tight and thussecurely clamp the enclosures in place. Thus the box-like girderconstruction of the enclosures adds rigidity to the vertical panelassembly and the advantage of the inherent structural-strength of thedeep-drawn plastic material is fully realized.

In mounting the enclosures 13 and 14 the clamping assembly indicated at13a `is utilized somewhat in the fashion of a pivot or trunnion. Thusthe enclosure 13 may be swung about the pivot axis at 13a to theposition shown and the nut 32 then drawn up. Additional support for theenclosure 13a inits tilted position is provided by the brace 17, thelower end of which is adjustably clamped to the vertical channel 8 asabove described. Similarly, the enclosure 14 is swung about the pivot14a and then clamped in the position shown and thereafter braced bymeans of the member 18.

The enclosure 13 provides a display which may be viewed from theunderside thereof and the enclosure 14 5 are adjustably supported inThis arrangement is particularly effective for museum Y displays where alarge number of people are expected to move along the display assemblyso that the eye .of the average viewer is substantially midway betweenthe inclined transparent surfaces of the enclosures 13 and 14. In thesame way objects displayed onthe horizontal shelves 11C in the cabinet11 may be viewed from either side ofthe vertical panel 7. This greatlyconserves space as compared to the prior art museum display cabinets andthe objects within the cabinets-are well illuminated f by the usualoutside lighting. Those skilled in theart will appreciate thatfluorescent tubes or the like may be carried within the enclosures tosupplement other lighting.

My invention is well suited for the display of merchandise and in Fig. 4I have shown a modification of the display cabinet wherein theY channel23a is connected to i out departing from the scope of 4the invention asdefined in the following claim.'

What is claimed is:

A display cabinet comprising a plurality of vertically disposed panelspivotally secured to each other on vertical axes adjacent adjoiningedges, at least one of said panels being swung on its said vertical axiswith respect to an adjacent panel to be disposed at an angle to saidadjacent panel, each of said panels including vertically extending tside members, display enclosures mounted between said side members, eachenclosure comprising a rectangular frame fitting between the sidemembers, yeach of said frames having at flange portions around the edgeof the frame, a pair of deep-drawn, transparent plastic sections, one ofsaid transparent plastic sections being mounted on one side of saidrectangular frameand secured to the llange portions thereof and theother of said transparent plastic sections being secured tothe oppositeside of said rectangular frame along `the flange portions of saidopposite side whereby said plurality of panels` are self-supporting and`the transparent plastic sections may be viewed from either side of thevertically disposed panels.

`References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS452,377 Kean May 19, 1891 541,216 Shenley e June 18, 1895 l929,074 Browne-; July 27, 1909 1,019,384 Walz s Mar. 5, 1912 1,516,281 Eisner Nov.18, 1924 2,345,650 Attwood Apr. '4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 41,668V NorwayJuly 2o, 1925

